Did you miss a week?
Back editions of the Wheelhouse Weekly are available in the archives section.

A government agency in Panama charged with investigating ethics violations and corruption has announced it will launch an inquiry into the Panama Canal Authority’s treatment of tugboat captains protesting forced overtime, unilateral manning cuts and other safety concerns.

The captains are members of the MM&P Panama Canal affiliate Union de Capitanes y Oficiales de Cubierta (UCOC), which represents about 200 tug captains and associated vessel personnel.

For months, they have been protesting dangerous working conditions on the canal.

Panama Canal Authority (ACP) managers have been cutting corners to reduce costs. Most recently, the ACP unilaterally moved to reduce the number of deckhands handling lines aboard tugboats in the locks from three to two.

Representatives of the Panamanian government accountability agency, the Autoridad Nacional de Transparencia y Accesso a la Informacion (ANTAI), met with the tug captains on April 24.

ANTAI Executive Director Angélica Maytín said afterwards it was the agency’s duty to launch an investigation into “the campaign mounted by Canal Administrator Jorge Luis Quijano.”

UCOC Secretary-General Cristóbal Fálquez said ANTAI had confirmed it would open an administrative investigation into all aspects of the stand-off.

The ACP is not providing proper staffing and equipment for the new larger locks, putting workers and safe shipping at risk, UCOC says.

Rather than address safety issues that have led to wear and tear on the locks, the death of a worker in November, and the collision of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter TAMPA, the ACP has begun disciplinary proceedings for 22 Panama Canal tugboat captains who raised questions about short-staffing and crew fatigue.

PATRIOT CONTRACT SERVICES COMMENDS CREWMEMBERS ABOARD SURGE LMSRS

Patriot Contract Services (PCS) has recognized a number of MM&P and MEBA members who served aboard the Surge LMSRs.

“There are quite a few individuals who deserve recognition and appreciation for the time that they did spend and for their assignment completions on the YANO, SHUGHART, GORDON or GILLILAND,” the company said in a message to MM&P headquarters.

“Special thanks to those who were employed on the Surge contract that came from the Watson Fleet and did the extra assignments while they were on vacation, like Don Agold, Charles Carubia, James Mixon and Deatra Thompson.”

“Kudos and thanks to retirees who filled big gaps, like James Carbone, Steven Kanchuga, Glenn Strathearn and Jim Staples.”

“We had those who completed multiple, extended and repetitive assignments like Stephen Procida, Robert Kuskis, Keith Finnerty and William Bagby, who deserve our thanks. “

“And, especially, our final four—Michael LaBonte, John Denton, Edward Ruth and Daniel Corn–who maintained in the final leg, helped us finish strong and crossed the finish line.”

“To all the below, who were the OICs, CMs and Captains and to those in the MM&P leadership and to those dispatchers in the halls, THANK YOU!”

Members of the MM&P Federal Employees Membership Group (FEMG) aboard Military Sealift Command (MSC) vessels participating in Operation Pacific Partnership 2018 were restricted to ship without liberty after a warning that the Abu Sayyaf terror group was planning to abduct foreigners in the region.

MSC informed MM&P that it had imposed the liberty restriction for crewmembers aboard USNS BRUNSWICK and other ships participating in the operation.

It advised all vessels transiting the waters off Sabah, Malaysia, to exercise extreme caution.

The warning was issued after Philippine and Malaysian intelligence sources said they had uncovered a terrorist plot to kidnap foreign tourists in the Sabah Islands.

Among the areas targeted for kidnappings were Pulau Selingan, the famous turtle island; fish farms in Sandakan waters; and Pulau Langkayan in the waters of Beluran on Sabah’s east coast.

The plan was first revealed after the military killed an Abu Sayyaf leader, Muamar Askali, on April 10.

The last large-scale kidnapping in Sabah took place at the diving haven of Sipadan Island on April 23, 2000, during the Easter holidays.

In that incident, a total of 21 hostages were kidnapped from Sipadan and held in the jungles of Jolo for nearly six months.

ARIZONA LEGISLATURE PASSES EDUCATION BUDGET, ENDING TEACHER WALKOUT

Arizona teachers returned to their classrooms last week after the governor signed a bill to increase school funding and give teachers the first of what should be two pay raises.

Average teacher salaries in Arizona have fallen by nearly $9,000 since 2003, while funding per student has declined by 14 percent as legislators steered public funds to finance corporate tax cuts.

The new bill gives teachers a 9 percent pay raise next year, which, combined with a 1 percent raise already given, gets them halfway to the 20 percent hike they have called for.

The bill also increases state spending for schools, but it does not meet teachers’ demands that funding be restored to 2008 levels adjusted for inflation.

Some teachers reportedly wanted to continue the strike until the governor committed to additional school funding, but the largest teachers union, the Arizona Education Association, has advised them to return to classrooms, mount a second campaign later in 2018 and make their voices heard at the ballot box in the November mid-term elections.

The Arizona protest came on the heels of walkouts in West Virginia, Kentucky and Oklahoma, all states where legislatures have slashed school budgets to fund tax cuts.

Teachers in Louisiana, North Carolina and Nevada are also said to be weighing strikes.

In related news, Dana Goldstein of The New York Times reported in an article published on May 2 that teacher pay is so low in some U.S. school districts—including in Arizona—that officials are now recruiting in low-wage countries such as the Philippines.

“Recruited teachers hold J-1 visas, which allow them to work temporarily in the United States, like au pairs or camp counselors,” she reports.

“More than 2,800 foreign teachers arrived on American soil last year through the J-1, according to the State Department, up from about 1,200 in 2010.”

“Rather than increase salaries, districts may once again resort to recruiting internationally as a way to solve the teacher shortage,” American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten said in a statement.

She said that while the AFT “will fight for everyone working in our communities and educating our kids to have fair wages, rights and workplace protections regardless of where they’re from, the use of the J-1 visa program to fill long-term shortages is an abuse of an exchange program.”

Teachers in North Carolina may be the next to strike.

Three of the state’s largest school districts now plan to shut down for one day next week and some smaller districts plan to do the same because thousands of teachers are expected to rally for better working conditions and education funding.

In inflation-adjusted numbers, North Carolina teachers now earn 5 percent less, on average, than they did before 2008, while the state today spends 12.2 percent less per pupil than it did before the recession, ranking 39th in the nation.

MARITIME LABOR PAYS TRIBUTE TO MM&P’S WENDY KARNES

Scores of union members from numerous local unions joined MM&P members and officials on April 22 to honor Wendy Karnes, who has represented Masters, Mates & Pilots in the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach for 20 years.

Karnes was among the honorees at the 24th Annual Cesar Chavez Labor Tribute Banquet, which recognizes “the men and women who dedicated a lifetime to their union and to the rights of all workers.”

Other awardees included James Spinoza, former president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, who led the ILWU in the successful defense of union jobs during the historic Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) lockout of 2002, when employers locked out 10,500 longshore workers in 29 ports.

Karnes was originally hired in 1998 by former MM&P Vice President Paul Nielsen as a part-time employee.

“She promised that we could rely on her and that was the truth,” Nielsen said when he introduced her at the awards ceremony.

“She has proven her ability and dedication to our members over many years of service.”

Karnes grew up in a union family with strong ties to the waterfront. Her father worked at the port, including the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, and was a member of Teamsters Local 495.

Her mother was a vocational nurse and the office manager of an industrial clinic at the port before “trading in her stethoscope for a hard hat” to join International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 13.

Her stepfather is a former secretary-treasurer with the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association.

Besides her work with MM&P, Karnes is also a professor at Long Beach City College.

She has been awarded several degrees, including one in arbitration, negotiation and peace building.

As well as being a member of MM&P, she is a member of the California Teachers Association-American Federation of Teachers Faculty Guild 1521.

“I stand by their mission statement that champions fairness, democracy, economic opportunity, health care and high-quality public education,” she says.

She and her husband Joshua have a five-year-old son, Jaxon-Apollo.

“I would like to thank my parents for showing me that hard work and dedication pay off,” she said.

“I would also like to thank Masters, Mates & Pilots for giving me the opportunity to have a great job with good benefits.”

“I am able to provide for my family because of Organized Labor.”

MM&P President Don Marcus also spoke at the event.

In addition to saluting the well-deserved award presented to former ILWU President James Spinoza, Marcus expressed his gratitude for Wendy Karnes’ outstanding union work and for the honor of her being recognized by the Harry Bridges Institute, which organizes the annual award ceremony.

MM&P Vice President Paul Nielsen was a previous recipient of the award in 2001.

MM&P HOLIDAY CLOSING SCHEDULE

NATIONAL MARITIME DAY COMMEMORATION IN SAN PEDRO ON MAY 22

The contributions of American merchant mariners will be celebrated during the month of May at Maritime Day ceremonies around the country.

In San Pedro, Calif., the American Merchant Marine Veterans Memorial Committee will begin the day with a service at the American Merchant Marine Veterans Memorial (Harbor Ave. and 6th Street, San Pedro) followed by a luncheon at the Ports O’Call Restaurant (Berth 76).

There is free parking at the restaurant, which is located at 1200 Nagoya Way, San Pedro, with free transportation provided by the San Pedro Trolley between Ports O’Call and the Memorial from 1000 to 1300.

The Memorial is maintained by the committee and supported by your donations and by advertisements in the National Maritime Day program book.

Your support is extremely important. The deadline for placing an ad is May 7. Reservations are required for the luncheon.

/ MITAGS ACADEMIC NOTES /

MITAGS needs your current address! Have you moved recently? Did you remember to send MITAGS your new address for communications regarding courses? Please send your current contact information to admissions@mitags.org or to the fax number below. New dedicated fax line for Admissions only: 1-443-568-1928. For all other MITAGS business, please continue to use: 410-859-5181.

For class availability or information on MITAGS courses and programs, contact Amanda Meadows, Admissions Coordinator, toll-free at 866-656-5568 or by e-mail: admissions@mitags.org.